Other Visa

Foreign nationals who have been granted the privilege of living and working permanently in the United States are considered Permanent Residents. A Permanent Resident Card (Form I-551) is issued to all Permanent Residents as evidence of alien registration and their permanent status in the U.S. For more information, visit the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services website.

Admission Requirements

• Submit online application.
• Submit Permanent Resident Card (Form I-551) copy of front and back, Social Security Card, Passport, State-Issued ID.
• Placement Test or Qualifying Test Scores
  • TTC’s Placement Test, SAT (520 Evidence-based Reading & Writing, 600 Math), or ACT (English 19, Math 22).
  • If you have taken English or Math courses at another U.S. College, you may be exempt from all or part of the placement test. To qualify, you will need to submit official transcripts.
  • A degree earned abroad does not waive the placement test.
• Submit Proof of High School Graduation/Secondary Education Documentation
  • Submit an evaluation report from secondary schools, colleges/universities outside of the United States from a professional credential evaluation company. This is required to demonstrate the equivalent academic credential in the United States system of education. To be considered for transfer credit, the evaluation must be an official course-by-course report. All evaluation reports must come directly from the evaluation agency. This can be emailed to admissionsdocs@tridenttech.edu or mailed in a sealed envelope. Link of accepted agencies can be found here: NACES | Credentials Evaluations Provided by NACES Members. Certified English Translations of transcripts/diplomas are not accepted at Trident Technical College.

  Important Information

  • The Permanent Resident Card (Form I-551) is issued to all permanent residents as evidence of their legal status in the U.S. It must always be in your possession.
  • The card is valid for 10 years and must be renewed before it expires. However, your permanent resident status does not expire with the card—only the card itself needs to be renewed.
  • Conditional permanent residents are issued a card valid for two years. To maintain permanent resident status, you must file a petition to remove the conditions within 90 days before the card expires. The conditional card cannot be renewed; the condition must be removed to avoid losing permanent resident status.
    • Forms I-751 and I-829 are used for this purpose (available on the USCIS website).
  • Employment and Identification:
    • The Permanent Resident Card can be used to prove employment eligibility when completing a Form I-9 for a new employer.
    • It can also be used to apply for a Social Security Card and a State-Issued Driver’s License.
  • South Carolina Residency
    • In most cases, if your Permanent Resident status is still pending, you do not qualify for in-state tuition and fees. Being a Lawful Permanent Resident of the United States does not automatically make you a resident of South Carolina for tuition and fee purposes. For more information see the Residency website.

  The Office of International Admissions monitors the expiration date of your Permanent Resident Card. One semester before the expiration date on your Permanent Resident Card, a hold will be placed on your student account, which will prevent you from registering for or withdrawing from classes. Therefore, know when your card will expire and renew it on time. Contact the international admissions coordinator at 843-574-6325 or linda.martinez@tridenttech.edu if you have a hold on your account and need to provide documentation about your status.

  When you apply for U.S. citizenship and you become a U.S. citizen, please submit a copy of your Certificate of Naturalization (Form N-551)/U.S. Passport. Your student file will then be removed from the Office of International Admissions and any hold will be removed.